MYRISTICACEJE.— THE NUTMEG TRIBE. 



IS 



The Banda isles, though very small, were formerly the nutmeg gardens of the 

 world, and were first colonized by the Dutch, who, in 1602, having reduced to 

 subjection the original inhabitants, endeavoured, by every means in their power, 

 to secure to themselves the entire trade in this valuable spice ; with this view 

 they confined the cultivation of the nutmeg tree to a few of the islands, and 

 it is said they contrived to have all the trees in the other islands destroyed. 

 During the period they remained possessors of the spice islands, the quantity of 

 mace and nutmegs exported from their colonies appears to have been immense ; 

 no less than 250,000 lbs. having been sent annually to Europe alone. After 

 these islands were taken by the British, which was in 1796, there were imported 

 into England alone by the East India Company, in the two succeeding years, 

 12.9,723 lbs. of nutmegs, and 286,000 lbs. of mace. When the crops were super- 

 abundant, the Dutch, in order to prevent a reduction in the market price, are 

 reported to have been in the habit, occasionally, of burning prodigious quantities 

 of their various spices, by which the air for miles around has been perfumed 

 with their aromatic scent. 



"Within the last forty years the nutmeg has been extensively cultivated in 

 many of our tropical settlements, particularly at Bencoolen, in Sumatra, and in 

 the West India islands ; their culture in the former place is attended with com- 

 plete success, the crops being abundant, and of fine quality ; in the latter country 

 they are not found to succeed. 



Nutmegs are found, by analysis, to contain two distinct oily principles, one a 

 fixed oil obtained by expression, the other an essential oil obtained by distillation. 

 The knowledge of this fact has led to the fraudulent practice of puncturing and 

 boiling them in order to extract the aromatic oil, the orifices being afterwards 

 carefully stopped to prevent discovery; but the cheat having been detected, is 

 now rarely practised. 



The nutmeg-tree yields three crops annually ; the first in April, which is the 

 best ; the second in August, and the third in December ; yet the fruit is said to 

 require nine months to ripen it. The external coverings being separated, the 

 nut and the mace are carefully dried in the sun ; after which, the nuts are 

 immersed in lime-water, and the mace is sprinkled with salt-water, with the view, 

 it is said, of preserving them from the attacks of insects. 



